Pre-advent

I'm on a high today.  Could it be it is my first day with some moments alone in nine days?  Kids were sick and then there were school conferences. . .

Perhaps I'm high because the vile holiday of Halloween is over--but for the candy.  I hate Halloween.  Always have.  This year, in a parental marketing victory, I managed to convince my kids that last year's costumes were so cool we could get one more year out of them.   I'm so un-fun.  It is just that there is enough honest to goodness scary stuff in the world without glorifying spooky stuff.

Halloween being officially over means I can start the season of pre-advent.  I made that up today.  Pre-advent.  I like that.  Pre-advent is where we start to think about making Christmas lists.  There is also pre-advent music.  This includes the more classical selections like Handel's Messiah.  The first words after the overture are comfort ye.  What a beautiful way to start the season.  Next, my all time favorite CD, Michala Petri Noel, Noel, Noel.--classical recorder with the Westminster Abbey Choir.  I'll save the more pop and jazz stuff until after Thanksgiving.  Very noble of me.

My husband, Bill says I'm out of line.  It is too early.  It is just that I have such a love of Christmas music, and such a collection, that I have to start early to fit it all in.

Friends will tell you that after my kids were born I often felt overwhelmed about Christmas.  Perhaps even anxious and depressed.  I felt that it was all too much and I tried to think of ways I could do less.  Less decorating.  Fewer gifts.  Fewer traditions.  Less hoopla.

We have scaled back and that is good.  A couple other things have changed as well--the kids are a little older.  I don't have to worry that if I run outside to hang up some Christmas lights a toddler is going to fall down the stairs--or as happened one year--sneak into a 2 pound bag of m&m's. Mary Ray. . . .

Something else has changed my attitude.  People on my Christmas list died.  It sure wouldn't seem like any kind of burden to think of thoughtful gifts and shop for them, if they were still here.  In fact I would go all out.  Pull out all the stops!

We only have so many Christmases together.  Our kids will grow up.  Traditions will change.
So, I'm still gonna go all out.  Not with stuff--but with making every moment of the season special.  

Starting with pre-advent music.  
Now if we could just get some snow. . .